The disclosures herein relate generally to computer systems, and more particularly, to restoration of a hard drive of a computer system.
A hard disk drive (HDD) is characterized by storage addresses ranging from a zero address to a maximum address. At the bottom of a hard disk drive, there is a typically at least one cylinder and a master boot record. The master boot record informs the computer system how to boot-up, and where all the files are. The master boot block record contains file allocation tables (FAT). A file allocation table is a table with information about all of the files, data, their sizes, and locations on the hard disk drive. Depending on the type of file system being used, the HDD will be partitioned into several partitions, such as C: drive and D: drive or as a single partition, for example, C: drive. For a FAT 32 file system, the HDD includes one large partition. For any given computer system, an original factory downloaded software image (i.e., resident software) of the computer system typically resides in the lower address portion of the HDD.
At the end of completion of a computer manufacturing process of a given computer system, downloaded to the computer system HDD is what is referred to herein as the factory download or factory downloaded software image. The factory downloaded image thus includes the hard disk drive image as it existed at the time the computer system was shipped from the factory, prior to an initial installation by a customer or user.
Upon receipt of a computer system by a customer, the customer must first install the operating system according to the requirements of the respective operating system. The customer may also install third party software and hardware and software drivers for the hardware, in addition to performing other installations and/or modifications to the original factory downloaded image stored on the hard disk drive. In the course of doing the installation of the software by the customer, the factory download software image may often become corrupted to a major or minor degree. Such corruption might occur for a variety of reasons, for example, as a result of incompatibility between various versions of software. A customer may also inadvertently reformat the hard disk drive without first making a back-up copy of the factory download. A virus may also have been introduced which corrupts the factory download.
Altering the factory download image might also include, for example, a situation where a customer attempts to install a modem which was successfully used in a previous system, and further which is not compatible with current plug-n-play requirements for the operating system and/or the interrupt allocations off the system bus of the new computer system. In such an instance, the operating system of the new computer can become corrupted to the point of where the operating system will no longer run. Still other user activities may corrupt the system in such a manner that the computer system will not function properly when booted-up from the hard disk drive, i.e., the hard disk drive is sufficiently corrupted that the HDD must be completely erased and then restored from the beginning, starting the software installation process over again.
With generic configured computer systems, a customer can purchase a particular operating system (WINDOWS 95(trademark), 98(trademark), NT(trademark)) and either a GAME PACK or a BUSINESS PACK software package, which are about the extent of the purchase options of a generic configured computer system. If a customer purchases a particular monitor, the generic system is typically set-up for 640xc3x97480 resolution, which may be other than the resolution of the purchased monitor. A set of diskettes containing drivers needed to upgrade the computer system to the driver which will enable the customer to actually use the particular equipment purchased, are then needed to be installed on the computer system. The same applies to particular printer, video card, sound card, etc. In view of one or two generic configurations, a computer manufacturer can easily mass produce generic restore images on a restore CD-ROM, for example, for shipment with each generic computer system.
With built-to-order computer systems, the factory download includes the operating system, applications, hardware and software drivers, etc., as ordered by a customer or needed to support hardware ordered by the customer. Upon an initial power on of the computer by a customer, the user is instructed to install the operating system (Windows 95(trademark), Windows 98(trademark), Windows NT(trademark), or other operating system). Basically, installation of the operating system may include simply the entering of a certificate of authenticity number(s) when requested and implementing other registration and user selectable preferences which may be required. The installation can also include installation of any major software application(s) which were also ordered/purchased with the computer system. Such an installation process can significantly affect or change the original factory download software image (i.e., corrupt the image). That is, during installation certain files may be changed from a compressed state to a de-compressed state, files could become linked with other files, etc., all as a result of the software installation carried out by the customer. The actual image size of the factory download can become larger as a result of the carrying out of the install process. The installation further includes customization of various components, programs, etc., according to user preferences.
For a built-to-order system, any number of variations of factory download software configurations can be realized. For instance, if a particular video card is ordered, then the software driver for that video card is installed on the HDD at the factory. With custom built-to-order computer systems, not only will the customer be sold hardware and software, but the computer system will be configured specifically to the hardware and software items that the customer specifically purchased according to a particular customer configured computer system. In addition, built-to-order computer systems include unique factory download image, one each of a particular built-to-order computer system. In the event of a single customer configuring and purchasing two identical computer systems, the factory download software image stored on the HDD will be individualized for each system because each computer system will be keyed to a unique service tag number burned into each particular computer system.
As mentioned above, one method for restoration of a software image may include a CD ROM based option in which some form of CD ROM is used to distribute the needed restoration software image. The CD ROM option is divided into two major subclasses, either a generic pressed CD ROM made in large numbers, or a recordable CD ROM that is semi-custom prepared for each individual computer system. The generic approach is used by most all computer manufacturers, with only a respective computer system platform specific bundle being available for restoring. The industry standard trend of shipping a generic restore CD ROM with each system is not readily applicable in the instance of custom built-to-order computer systems. The software considerations of custom built-to-order computer systems make this option viable only if the manufacturer foregoes the ideal of restoring the system to the computer system""s actual xe2x80x9clike factory newxe2x80x9d configuration with all of the software that the customer originally purchased.
In view of the unique HDD image of the customer configured built-to-order computer systems, the method of mass producing a generic restore image is not helpful. A restore CD ROM having a generic image will not be very useful for restoring the unique image of the built-to-order system. Creation of a unique CD ROM containing a software restoration image per customer configured built-to-order computer system for shipment with the built-to-order computer system would be needed, however, such a remedy is an unreasonably expensive and time-consuming proposition.
In other words, with built-to-order computer systems, if required to actually restore the hard disk software image using a restore CD ROM, the computer manufacturer would need to produce a customized version for each computer system. The restore CD ROM would need to reflect the unique combinations of operating system, bungled software sets and third party software products that the customer may have purchased for the given built-to-order computer system, installed on the restore CD ROM. This requires a fairly significant xe2x80x9cjust in timexe2x80x9d CD ROM production system installed in the factory, or else a method to pre-produce custom CD ROMs and distribute them to the appropriate computer systems during the computer system manufacturing process.
Furthermore, in the manufacture of computer systems, in particular built-to-order systems, a computer manufacturer may desire to implement a policy for replacing a customer""s hard disk drive (HDD) within an initial 30 days of system ownership for either of two general reasons. The first reason is if there is something physically xe2x80x9cwrongxe2x80x9d with the HDD due to workmanship or handling damage. A hardware failure can be characterized by the hard disk drive being completely non-responsive. In such an instance of hard drive failure, a replacement HDD is prepared and sent to the customer for replacement. The second reason is if there is something xe2x80x9cwrongxe2x80x9d with the software image that resides on the HDD. This second reason, relates to so-called STM (Software Transport Mechanism) dispatches and may constitute well in excess of two thirds of all of a monthly HDD initial field incident rate (IFIR) dispatches for the computer manufacturer. IFIR is a metric used to measure a number of failure incidents of a product, i.e., computer system, within a first 30 day period of use in the field by a customer.
In an effort to maximize customer satisfaction, a computer manufacturer can proactively provide customers with a restore disk image capability, in the event their computer system suffers a catastrophic loss/corruption of respective HDD file/data, for any reason, within the initial 30 days of product ownership. Currently, this need is addressed by restoring, at the manufacturer""s facility, the customer""s xe2x80x9clike factory newxe2x80x9d disk image on a new disk drive and then sending the new disk drive to the customer for replacement of their fully operational, but software corrupted, hard disk drive. The dispatch of a third party maintenance (TPM) person is also required in order to install the new disk drive and to ship the old drive back to the manufacturer.
The above outlined process involves a number of expenses, some obvious, some less so. The costs of the additional hard disk drive, the dispatch of the TPM call and the transportation charges for the drives, to and from, are easily understood. Less obvious are the extensive handling and testing costs incurred by the manufacturer in processing the very large number of returned drives that have no identifiable fault. Also less quantifiable, but potentially very significant, is the extended time that a technician must spend to extensively verify the probable software fault in order to justify the dispatch of such an expensive part.
The secondary costs, while more difficult to see and quantify, are at least xe2x80x98direct costsxe2x80x99, and therefore likely to be examined. There are indirect costs potentially even more important. Given a xe2x80x9cfloodxe2x80x9d of drives being returned, real IFIR incidents are difficult to spot, trends that should initiate corrective action programs are hidden amidst the deluge, and analysis is foregone in favor of keeping up with incoming paperwork. The true hidden costs of this false STM based IFIR has been to keep the manufacturer from clearly seeing and addressing the underlying true HDD IFIR causes/trends/distribution.
Various alternatives for proactive distribution of hard disk restore images have been considered which include the use of second HDDs and the use of tape back up units of numerous size and performance scales. The use of ZIP files/drives, removable HDD sub-systems have also been considered. Modem, Internet and on-line services download options have also been explored. Even the number of floppy disks required for worst case situations has been calculated, for instance, wherein just in excess of 250 disks would be needed if uncompressed, compared to approximately 180 if compressed using a Zip drive. Still further, issues of media cost, lack of market penetration of supporting peripherals, unwidely operational characteristics and/or customer acceptance has led to disqualifying most of these proposed options as not feasible or desirable.
It would thus be desirable to provide a solution to the above problems, in particular, a method and apparatus for providing economically feasible HDD factory download image recovery for a computer system.
According to one embodiment, a computer system having capability for restoration of a hard disk drive includes at least one processor and at least one hard disk drive. A software image is stored on the at least one hard disk drive, the software image including a factory downloaded image which is subject to corruption. A protected software restoration image not prone to a typical corruption is stored on the at least one hard disk drive and available for use by the at least one processor in executing the restoration of the software image on the at least one hard disk drive to a like new factory downloaded image condition.
The embodiments of the present disclosure advantageously provide that many of the costs, direct and indirect, previously incurred in connection with the restoration of a hard disk drive software image can now be avoided. A hard disk drive hidden software restoration image is sent along with a given computer system when initially delivered to a customer, so as to be readily available if a need arose to return the hard disk drive unit to xe2x80x9clike new factory downloadedxe2x80x9d software condition. The method and apparatus furthermore allow a customer service technician to direct the customer to initiate a restore process immediately, instead of having the customer wait a day (or more) while the manufacturer produces and ships a replacement HDD and/or restoration image CD-ROM. Similarly, a customer can also individually initiate a restore process in accordance with the present disclosure without assistance of the customer service technician.